Lower Waist Exercises

The lower portion of the abdomen can be a difficult area to tone. It’s the most prone to bloating when you eat salty foods or drink carbonated beverages, and as women in particular age, it’s one of the first areas that becomes flabby. With a healthy diet and the right workout regimen, however, you can keep your lower abs toned and strong. Concentrate on exercises that force the stomach to be tight from the top to the bottom, and practice good posture to engage your abs throughout the day.

The Hundred

The hundred is an isometric ab exercise used in Pilates classes. Lie on a mat with your knees bent, your back and feet on the mat, and your arms at your sides. Lift your feet into the air, making sure your hips are stable and on the ground. Draw your navel in toward your spine, gaze at your navel, and lift your shoulder blades off the mat. Lower your legs to what is a challenging position for you. (Note that a challenging position differs drastically for each person, depending on his or her abdominal strength.) Make sure that your back is still flat on the mat, and your stomach is pulled in tight. Start pumping your arms quickly as you inhale during five pumps and exhale during five pumps. Repeat for 10 breaths, which is 100 pumps.

Ankle Taps

Begin in the same position as the hundred. Lie back on a mat, with your knees bent and your feet on the mat. Once again, lift your feet into the air, then lower them to a challenging position. Draw your navel in toward your spine, but instead of gazing at your navel, simply let your neck and head relax as you leave your head on the mat. Lightly tap your ankles together for 10 taps, then rest. Repeat.

Single-Leg Stretch

Begin lying down on a mat. Once your back feels comfortable against the back of the mat, draw your navel in toward your spine, and pull both knees in toward your chest. Shift both hands so you are lightly holding your right shin, with one hand below your right knee, the other just above your right ankle. Lightly pull your right leg in toward you as you extend your left leg out as far as you can, to a challenging angle. Switch legs. Repeat 10 to 20 times, then stretch your lower back by pulling your knees back in toward your chest.

Posture Practice

You can also work your abs isometrically by engaging in good posture during the day. Sit in a chair, or stand with your head reaching upwards as if there were a string attached to its top. Relax your shoulders away from your ears and stack your upper body directly under your ears. Pull your belly button in toward your spine, and concentrate on engaging all of your abdominals, as if you were wearing a corset and it was pulling your stomach in. Think about helping your ab muscles support your back and digestive organs. Breathe deeply, and continue this good posture throughout your day.